Tree seat



March 22, 1966 J. D. GRAY 3,241,734

TREE SEAT Filed May 15, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. JAMES D. GRAY A TTORNEYS.

March 22, 1966 J. D. GRAY 3,241,734

TREE SEAT Filed May 13, 1964 s Sheets-Shed 2 EBA/I08 90 I04 |2 so Q ii M I 5 WW 96 W 8 1 W 70 w INVENTOR. HG 6 JAMES D. GRAY A T TOR NE Y5.

March 22, 1966 J. D. GRAY 3,241,734

TREE SEAT Filed May 13, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JAMES D. GRAY A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,241,734 TREE SEAT James D. Gray, 812 W. Maiden, Marion, lill. Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 367,015 7 Qiairns. (Cl. 224-9) This invention relates to a portable seat for attachment to trees, and more particularly to a tree seat particularly suited for use by deer hunters and other sportsmen, which seat is of relatively simple construction and may be readily converted into a pack frame for mounting on the back of a wearer.

Tree seats are well known and have been provided in past as a portable supporting device offering a substantial measure of relief during those periods of time when the sportsman remains substantially immobile at a more or less fixed location. Seats of this type are particularly desired for use by deer hunters, since in hunting deer it is not at all uncommon to remain for several hours in a given location awaiting the approach of a deer. It is Well known that excessive movement and the accompanying noise generated in the quiet surroundings of a wooded area very often is detected by approaching game and tends to scare it off. For this reason, the deer hunter often finds it advisable to remain comparatively still at a single location for several hours to await the approach of a deer so that it may come near enough for positive identification and a good shot without being frightened away by excessive noise and movement.

The present invention provides an improved seat of relatively simple, inexpensive construction, which can be manufactured and sold at a cost such that it can be afforded by a large number of the sporting population. In addition, the seat is readily adaptable for conversion into a pack frame for hauling loads on the back of the user and especially for packing a slain deer or other fairly large, heavy game animal out of the woods or back to the hunters camp. Important features of the present invention include its strength, rigidity, and simplicity of construction. The device may be used either with or without an accompanying pack and cushion, may be stood upright on the ground, or hung off the ground in an out of the way place when not in use. The seat is readily adjusted to properly engage different size trees. Converting from a seat to a pack frame is very simply effected by removing a nylon strap or other similar retainer from a pair of uprights used to maintain the seat against a tree and passing the strap through suitable apertures provided in the seat so that it may be swung over the shoulders and on the users back into the conventional pack frame position. Also provided is a novel adjustable folding foot rest so that the hunters legs need not hang free for extended periods of time during which he may be waiting in the woods.

While described for use by deer hunters as a tree seat and a pack frame for hauling game, it is apparent that the device of the present invention may be used in conjunction with the hunting of other large game animals and may be used as a portable seat for almost any desired purpose such as watching motor boat races from a wooded shoreline, for observing golf matches, bird watching, and in many other applications.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a novel tree seat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tree seat readily convertible into a pack frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tree seat particularly suited for use by deer hunters.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a deer seat of relatively simplified inexpensive construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a deer seat having an adjustable and foldable foot rest.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination deer seat and pack frame readily adjustable to engage trees of different diameters.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent upon reference to the following specification =claims and appended drawings where- 1n:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the tree seat in position on a tree and used with the optional cushion and pack accessories;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the tree seat of FIGURE 1, with the nylon strap threaded through apertures in the seat so that the device is suitable for use as a pack frame;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a slightly modified construction showing the tree seat alone without the optional pack and cushion accessories;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are front elevation and plan views respectively of the optional rear-bracing bar of the seat of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the tree seat of FIG- URE 3 with the back brace omitted;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the tree seat of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevation of the novel foldable foot rest shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is a bottom plan view of the foot rest of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 illustrates one of the knotted ropes for supporting the foot rest of FIGURES 8 and 9.

When deer hunting, one of the most dimcult things for the hunter to do is to remain quiet and immobile for extended periods of time so as to not frighten the deer away. This is especially so in the late fall of the year when the weather is cold and the hunter may be forced to stand in several inches of snow. Because of this, a light-weight readily portable seat enabling the hunter to rest as comfortably as possible with his feet off the ground is highly desirable. The present invention provides such a device, which has the additional advantages of being convertible in a very simple manner into a pack frame by which the hunter may carry provisions such as food and drink, or, which may be used to pack out a slain animal by securely tying or lashing the animal to the pack frame and then slipping the frame over his shoulders. As is well known, packing a slain deer for several miles through the woods is no small task, and it is for this reason that the pack frame is provided to ease the burden.

Referring now to the drawings, and especially to FIG- URE 1, the novel tree seat of the present invention, general'ly indicated at It) is illustrated as comprising a platform 12 to which are secured a pair of generally triangular metal uprights 14 and 16. Passing through these uprights is a nylon strap -18 provided with a suitable buckle or other fastener for securing the strap around a support as illustrated by the tree 20. Depending from the forward edge of the platform 12 are a pair of foot rests in the form of blocks, one of which is illustrated at .22. In addition, cushion 24 made of foam or other suitable material rests on top of the platform 12 and is attached by a pair of straps 26 and 28, to a container or pack 30 depending from the front edge of the tree seat. The container 30 is adapted to hold various provisions such as food, drink, extra clothing or the like. The straps 26 and 28 may be provided with suitable fasteners for securing them to the front edge of the platform 12, if desired, but this is normally not necessary, since the weight of a persons body resting on the cushion 24 is more than ample to maintain the pack 30 in the proper position.

FIGURE 2 shows the same device reassembled to form a pack frame. In this condition the strap 18 is disengaged from the tree and threaded through the platform 12 to form shoulder loops such as the loop 32, illustrated in FIGURE 2. The arms of the user are slid through the loops, and the device rests on the back of the wearer. Cushion 24 is illustrated as extending upwardly for the sake of clarity, but when used as a pack frame, the straps 26 and 28 are bent over the front edge of the platform 12 so that the cushion is positioned between the wearers back and the underside of the platform 12. The same fasteners on the straps 26 and 28, as described in conjunction With FIGURE 1, may again be used to fasten the straps to the front edge of the platform, but these fasteners are not necessary since the weight in the pack 30 is ordinarily sufficient to keep the entire unit tightly against the wearers back.

To form the pack frame of FIGURE 2, the nylon strap 18 is passed through a pair of relatively large apertures, or hand holes 34 and 36, and through a pair of rear slots 38 and 40, best seen in FIGURE 1 just behind the rear edge of the cushion 24. The buckle of the strap 18 is normally positioned beneath the pack 30 in FIGURE 2. At the same time, the pairs of ropes 42 and 44, securing the foot blocks to the front of the platform are flexed over each of the uprights 14 and 16 so that the foot blocks are securely positioned out of the way in the manner of foot block 22 illustrated in FIGURE 2. It is apparent that the uprights 14 and 16 not only provide an arrangement whereby the tree seat may be secured to a tree by the strap 18 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 but also provide a rigid loop support depending from the platform 12 to which a deer or other fallen game animal may be tied or lashed and further provide means for standing the entire device on the ground when it is not in use.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a modified tree seat generally indicated at 50. In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, like parts bear like reference numerals and the tree seat 50 again includes the platform 12 having the hand hold apertures 34 and 36, the rear slots 38 and and the uprights 14 and 16. The seat of FIG- URE 3 is illustrated without a cushion and a pack since these items are in the nature of accessories and the device may be used as a tree seat or a pack frame without them. A bracing bar is illustrated in dashed lines at 52 in FIG- URE 3 as connected between the vertical legs 54 and 56 of the uprights to provide additional bracing. The bracing bar is illustrated as connected by bolts 58 and 60 to the vertical legs of the uprights, but again the bracing bar 52 is not necessary to the device and the unit may be used without a rear bracing bar. The details of the bar 52 are illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 where the bar is shown as bent about a centerline as illustrated at 62 to define a shallow V-shape extending outwardly towards the front edge of the platform 12 when connected to the uprights and provided at each end with an aperture 64 and 66 through which the bolts 58 and 60 are adapted to pass.

FIGURES 6 and 7 show the tree seat 50 with the rear bracing bar 52 completely omitted. A transverse steel reinforcement strap 70 extends beneath the platform 12 from one side to the other approximately midway of its length. This strap is secured at each end to the platform by a pair of bolts 72 and 74. The forward ends of the uprights 14 and 16 are bent outwardly to form horizontal flanges 76 and 78 and these are similarly secured to the platform 12 by bolts 80 and 82. The vertical rear legs 54 and 56 of the uprights are bent over as at 84 and 86 and secured to the underside of the platform 12 by bolts 88, 90, 92 and 94.

Also secured to the underside of the platform 12 adjacent its rear edge are a pair of bark biters 96 and 98. The bark biters are provided with curved rear edges 100 and 102 adapted to engage and bite into the surface of a tree or other support upon which the tree seat is mounted.

The bark biters are secured at their ends by bolts 104 and 106, and also by thub screws 108 and 110. Platform 12 is provided at rear edge with two sets of three arcuately spaced apertures illustrated at 112 and 114 in FIGURE 7 through which the thumb screws 108 and 110 are adapted to pass. These arcuately spaced apertures make it possible to adjust the direction of the bark biters 96 and 98 and especially their rearwardly projecting edges 100 and 102 so as to adjust the device for trees having different diameters.

The hand holes 34 and 36 in the platform 12 by means of which the device may be grasped and carried by hand are provided with forwardly directed slots 116 and 118 adapted to receive the foot rest support ropes 120 of FIG- URE 3, one of which is illustrated in more detail in FIGURE 10. Each of the ropes is provided with a plurality of spaced knots 122 adapted to be engaged in the respective slot 116 or 118. As is apparent, the length of the ropes 120 depending from the platform can be adjusted by slipping a different one of the knots 122 underneath the slots 116 and 118. The lower end of each rope is adapted to be slipped through one of the apertures 124 or 126 in the foldable foot rest 128 and then knotted as at 130 in FIGURE 10.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 8 and 9, the foot rest 128 comprises two wooden sections 132 and 134 connected together by a hinge 136 secured to each of the sections by screws 138. When not in use the foot rest ropes may be removed from the slots 116 and 118, passed outwardly through the hand holes 34 and 36 and the sections 132 and 134 folded about the hinge and carried in a pocket or in the pack 30 if the tree seat 58 is used with a pack. Slots 116 and 118 are preferably centered on the centerline of the radius of curvature of the outer edges 140 and 142 of the hand holes 34 and 36.

It is apparent from the above that the present invention provides a novel tree seat of simple inexpensive construction which may be readily converted into a pack frame for carrying heavy loads on the back of a hunter or other sportsman. In each embodiment the seat is preferably provided with a curved rear edge adapted to engage and preferably bite into the bark of a tree to which the seat is fixed. A pair of angular uprights not only provide ready attachment by rope or the like of a slain animal but the vertical legs such as rear legs 54 and 56 provide spaced fiat surfaces by means of which the device may be placed on the ground or other level surface in a standing position. An optional pack and cushion arrangement is provided and where heavy usage is contemplated a transverse rear reinforcing brace 52 may be secured to the uprights 14 and 16.

By way of example only, in one embodiment constructed in accordance with the present invention, the platform 12 was made of 1 plywood and the uprights, the bark biters, and the cross-brace 52 were made of 81 x 1" steel strap. The nylon strap 18 for attaching the seat to a tree was 1% wide and 8 long. The foot rest was made from a wooden bar one inch thick and 2 inches wide, hinged as illustrated. The ropes 120 were each made from a 2' long piece of clothesline rope having several knots spaced along its length to make the height of the foot rest adjustable. By moving the bark biters by means of the wing nuts to various ones of the arcuately spaced holes, the bark biters may be pivoted to grip any size tree from one as large as the strap 18 will fit around to one as small as a sapling. Not only does the device provide a comfortable safe seat for hunting, but doubles as a pack frame and has been used to haul a slain deer lashed to the uprights several miles out of the woods.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the apended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A tree seat comprising a rigid platform, strap means for securing said platform to a tree in a substantially horizontal position whereby said platform may serve as a seat, rigid upright means adjacent the rear edge of said platform including vertical means for abutting a tree and around which said strap means may be passed to secure said platform to a tree, said platform having four spaced apertures through which said strap means may be passed to form shoulder loops for mounting said platform on the back of a user as a pack frame, means at the rear edge of said platform for biting into the surface of a tree, and foot rest means secured to the front of said platform.

2. A tree seat according to claim ll wherein said four apertures are spaced approximately at the four corners of a rectangular having front and rear edges approximately parallel with the front and rear edges of said platform.

3. A tree seat according to claim 2 wherein the apertures at the front corners of said rectangle are of sufficient size to provide hand grips for carrying said platform.

4. A tree seat comprising a rigid platform, strap means for securing said platform to a tree in a substantially horizontal position whereby said platform may serve as a seat, rigid upright means adjacent the rear edge of said platform including vertical means for abutting a tree and around which said strap means may be passed to secure said platform to a tree, said platform having four apertures spaced approximately at the four corners of a rectangle having front and rear edges approximately parallel with the front and rear edges of said platform and through which said strap means may be passed to form shoulder loops for mounting said platform on the back of a user as as a pack frame, and foot rest means depending from the front two of said apertures.

5. A tree seat comprising a fiat wooden platform, a strap for securing said platform to a tree in a substantially horizontal position whereby said platform may serve as a seat, a pair of spaced rigid uprights secured to said platform, said uprights each having a vertical rear leg for supporting said platform against a straight surface and forming with the upper surface of said platform a closed loop through which said strap may pass to secure said platform to a tree, said platform having four apertures spaced approximately at the four corners of a rectangle having front and rear edges approximately parallel with the front and rear edges of said platform and through which said strap may be passed to form shoulder loops for mounting said platform on the back of a user as a pack frame, a foot rest in the form of a hinged wooden block, a pair of ropes secured to the ends of said block and having a series of spaced knots, the front two of said apertures having narrow slots for slidably receiving said ropes and suspending said foot rest by means of a knot in each of said ropes, and means at the rear edge of said platform for biting into the surface of a tree.

6. A tree seat according to claim 5 wherein said biting means comprise a pair of metal straps secured to the underside of said platform, said straps having ends projecting beyond the rear edge of said platform and adjustable into a plurality of different positions to accommodate different diameter tree trunks.

7. A tree seat comprising a rigid platform, strap means for securing said platform to a tree in a substantially horizontal position whereby said platform may serve as a seat, a pair of spaced rigid uprights attached to said platform, said uprights forming loops with a surface of said platform through which said strap means may pass to secure said platform to a tree, said platform having four spaced apertures through which said belt means may be passed to form shoulder straps for mounting said platform on the back of a user as a pack frame, means at the rear edge of said platform for biting into the surface of a tree, foot rests means depending from the front of said platform, a cushion and pack, and flexible means joining said cushion and pack and flexible over the front edge of said platform.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 305,100 9/1884 Moore 182187 1,206,574 11/1916 Miller 182187 1,535,978 4/ 1925 Baker 182187 2,480,402 8/ 1949 Elston 2249 3,006,433 10/1961 Farver 182187 3,065,821 11/1962 Hundley 182-187 FOREIGN PATENTS 104,354 10/ 1926 Austria.

904,719 2/ 1954 Germany.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiner. 

1. A TREE SEAT COMPRISING A RIGID PLATFORM, STRAP MEANS FOR SECURING SAID PLATFORM TO A TREE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION WHEREBY SAID PLATFORM MAY SERVE AS A SEAT, RIGID UPRIGHT MEANS ADJACENT THE REAR EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM INCLUDING VERTICAL MEANS FOR ABUTTING A TREE AND AROUND WHICH SAID STRAP MEANS MAY BE PASSED TO SECURE SAID PLATFORM TO A TREE, SAID PLATFORM HAVING FOUR SPACED APERTURES THROUGH WHICH SAID STRAP MEANS MAY BE PASSED TO FORM SHOULDER LOOPS FOR MOUNTING SAID PLATFORM ON THE BACK OF A USER AS A PACK FRAME, MEANS AT THE REAR EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM FOR BITING INTO THE SURFACE OF A TREE, AND FOOT REST MEANS SECURED TO THE FRONT OF SAID PLATFORM. 